Kasparov

12.11.2014

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Our next guest is the world’s greatest chess player. He is both the Russian chess champion and also champion of Russian freedom. And tonight, he has a warning for the United States and Europe.

The anti-Putin advocate says the Obama administration and most of Europe spent years pretending that Putin is an ally. And he says it’s time for President Obama to stand up to Putin. And Chess Grand Master Garry Kasparov joins us. Good evening, sir.

GARRY KASPAROV, FORMER WORLD CHESS CHAMPION: Good evening. Thanks for inviting me.

VAN SUSTEREN: What should president Obama do about President Putin?

KASPAROV: Well, he should take a stand because nothing will happen without the American leadership and Obama and his administration, they are still pretending that you can do business with Putin because Putin not just violated all international treaties Russian signed, but he made it the core of his foreign policy. Putin is staying in power 50 years. And he made foreign aggression core a message that he is selling for Russian public.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is the Cold War over?

KASPAROV: Oh, I wish yes, because we just celebrated 25th anniversary of the fall of Berlin wall. While the wall is not there, the Cold War is not. We have a lot of enemies, people are pushing the free world and without American leadership, we could see more problems on the horizon. I remember that in 2008 and 2012, Democrats called John McCain and Mitt Romney the far right dinosaurs for their strong opinion on Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Well, they were not far right. They were simply right. And while fighting dictators and terrorists, we better have T-Rex on our side. And things that are extinct, strong principles and leadership in this administration.

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think president Putin thinks about President Obama?

KASPAROV: Weak as the rest of the leadership of the free world. Obama had so many red lines drawn and washed away, Obama sends conflicting messages to all sort of facts of the world, and Obama never stood firm on his position to stop Putin or Iranians or other guys who are threatening order and I think Putin collected enough evidence to classify Obama as a weak indecisive leader.

VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you think President Putin’s plans are now for going forward?

KASPAROV: I think eventually he will attack, whether it is Ukraine, whether you try to have some form of war in Baltics or strike in the south (inaudible) and republic of Georgia. But he simply has no choice. The economic situation in Russia even with these limited sanctions has been deteriorating quite dramatically. The ruble is fighting, the oil prices also falling. And at certain points, Putin will have no choice but to sell Russian public a new war because when you are in this road, you have no way back.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you have — I know before you have thought about challenging — you actually, I think, tried to challenge President Putin for presidency, do you have any political aspirations? Are you going to run again?

KASPAROV: Look, I’m out of Russia for almost two years. My colleagues are either behind bars or in the immigration. Russia today under Putin is a one-man dictatorship that has been using fascist ideology. There is no political life in Russia as such. All you can do is just to communicate back to the Russian people using internet and very limited means of communication that we still have in our hands. The message about the real situation but again, without the strong leadership from the free world, starting from the United States of America, nothing will happen.

VAN SUSTEREN: And I hope you will come back, sir. Thank you very much for joining us.

KASPAROV: Thanks for inviting me.

via Fox News On The Record with Greta Van Susteren